Five Years Later
by starshwer
Summary: My version of what happens when Peter comes back for Wendy, five years after he was last there.
1. Chapter 1

Wendy sat in her rocking chair working on her stitchery when a cold breeze flowed across the back of her neck. She shivered and pulled her shawl closer around herself.

"Wendy." The voice came softly from behind her.

She froze as it came again, "Wendy."

"Peter?" She still refused to turn around.

"Hello, Wendy."

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"Sorry."

"No you're not!" She spoke to the stitchery in her lap. "You probably forgot all about me, and just need me for something."

"It's not like that…"

"It's been four years, Peter! I mean, you came in the beginning, but then you just disappeared! How do you explain that?" Still, she refused to look at him, and he stayed by the window.

"I'm sorry Wendy."

"That's rich Peter, real rich. Apologize and make it all better."

"I want you to come back to Neverland with me." There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

"It's too late. I've gotten too old."

"No! Don't say that."

"It's true. I'm 18 Peter; I've forgotten how to fly."

"Wendy."

"Just go away."

"But Wendy…"

"Peter! Stop, just stop… I'm engaged."

"Engaged?"

"To be married. You know, to a man."

"No!"

"You weren't around. And besides, you're a boy Peter, and you don't have feelings." She fussed with her stitchery for a moment while he leaned his head against the window frame.

"You're mine, Wendy. You've always been mine."

"Not anymore."

"You gave me your kiss."

"I was 13, I didn't know what I was giving away."

"You gave it to me, and it's no longer yours to take back."

"Well, I'm taking it back!"

"That's not fair Wendy! It's mine!"

"No it's not Peter!" She whirled in her chair, only to realize the room behind her was empty, and the window, closed. She looked on her other side, then back down at her lap. He was being unreasonable and the sooner he realized it the better.

"Wendy?" A familiar, grating voice came through the door.

"Yes, Aunt Millicent?""Who are you talking to?"

"No one, Aunt."

"Well, you better start getting ready, Richard will be here soon, and I want you to be ready."

"Yes, Aunt Millicent."

Those green eyes watched her as she made her way to the dressing table and sat there pondering the acorn on a necklace that still had a place in her jewelry box. She no longer wore the trinket, it was replaced instead by pearls and jewels, given to her by a doting fiancée.

She put on a sapphire necklace that exactly matched her eyes, it was Richard's favorite. Then she changed into his favorite dress and spent the evening acting charming and ladylike. It was agony.

After she had gone to bed that night and was asleep, he came through the window again.

As she shivered in the cold air, he placed the extra blanket from the end of her bed over her. When he pulled the blanket underneath her chin, his hand brushed her cheek, causing her nuzzle against him slightly. He let his hand linger on her cheek for a moment before he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Can I keep you?"She murmured something incomprehensible and shifted slightly.

He knelt on the bed beside her, placing a hand on either side of her shoulders, as he did so many years before. He murmured to her, "One girl is worth more than 20 boys."

Her eyes fluttered slightly before she murmured, "Do you really mean that?"

"Yes." He whispered back and brushed his lips against hers.

She murmured something and shifted in the bed, her eyes fluttering again. He hastily backed away, hiding in the shadows.

When Wendy woke in the morning, she was tired. It was as if she had hardly slept all night. She dragged herself out of bed and over to her dressing table.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she'd never looked worse. Dark circles under her eyes, pale skin (and not in a good way), and hair that looked like it'd been through a windstorm. She sighed, it'd been a bad night. Her dreams had been full of flying boys with green eyes and smirking lips. With a moan, she willed herself to get dressed.

Hours later, she was falling asleep while reading, the book dropping into her lap every time her head bobbed. She shivered and sleepily raised her head. To Wendy's shock and horror, standing against the wall was a young man, dressed plainly in a shirt and breeches. She abruptly stood up from her chair and he took a step away from the wall, holding a hand out. "Wendy."

She took a step away from him.

He said it again, "Wendy."

Something in his eyes caused her to take a step closer; it was as if she knew him.

"Wendy." His lips curved up into a familiar smirk, as he took yet another step to her, "Wendy-bird."

Her eyes widened, but she kept moving toward him.

"How did my kiss end up back in the corner of your mouth?"

Her breathing quickened.

"Or should I say, thimble?"

She raised her chin to him.

"I thought it was mine always."

With every word he moved closer.

"I assume you think you can keep it."

He reached out a hand and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Well, I'm just going to have to take it back."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he put a hand over it.

"I won't right now, but in time."

Words finally found her again. "Peter?"

"I thought we already established it was me."

"But…but…but you're all grown up!"

"That's right."

"But how…how is that possible?" She finally reached up and ran her hand down his cheek, just to see if he was real.

"I'll explain later." His eyes glinted. "Right now, I need you to come back to Neverland with me."

"Peter I can't!"

"Yes, you can! Come away with me." He took her hand, pulling her towards the window. "Second star on the right and then straight on 'til morning."

"But, I can't fly!"

"You'll remember. It's like riding a bike, you never forget!"

"But, Peter…"

He put a finger over her lips, "No more buts." He stood there, as if transfixed by her mouth. Finally, he shook his head. "Come." They had reached the window, open to the night.

She was powerless to stop herself as he walked out the window backwards, pulling her with him, eyes locked together.

It wasn't until she realized there was _nothing_ below her feet, that she looked down. With a gasp she saw that she was in fact standing on air. Wendy pulled herself to Peter as he merely smiled at her.

Before she knew it, they were gliding over the crystal waters of Neverland, with dawn just breaking over the emerald mountains, and the snow melting on the shore.


	2. Crash Into Me

Gently, Peter put them down on the golden shore of the island. Wendy clung to Peter for a few more minutes, before he finally ran a hand over her hair. "Wendy?"

"Mmm-hmmm?"

"I think it's time for you to let go."

"What?"

"We're here and on solid ground." She raised her head, blinking in the bright sunlight.

As she looked around, he looked at her. "Wendy?"

Finally she looked back at him, "Yes?"

"Would you like to meet the new Lost Boys?"

"Are we going to fly again?"

He chuckled, "We don't have to. We can walk."

"Good."

As they walked along, Peter watched her out of the corner of his eye. Finally, she had to ask, "How did you get old?"

He shifted uncomfortably, "I don't really…"

She cut him off, "I want to know."

"Well, maybe another time."

She stopped and crossed her arms.

Peter took a few more steps before he realized she wasn't beside him. He turned around, saw the look on Wendy's face, and sighed. "Did you know that I stayed 13 for years?" She shook her head. "Well, I did. I just never got any older. Then I met you." He turned away and started walking again. "After you and the boys left, I came back and visited a few times, you know that. Then I guess I got kind of distracted. There were new Lost Boys, and fights with the Indians, and…" he sighed again. "I never forgot about you, I was busy. Next thing I knew, a few years had gone by, and I was a few years older." He stared off into the trees, "Once I started getting older, I couldn't stop." Peter turned back to her, "It was _you_, Wendy. You were the one thing that could make me older."

She picked up her skirts and made her way over to him, "Why?"

He shrugged and turned away to continue walking, Wendy following close behind.

They walked in silence until the old tree-house came into view. Wendy paused for just a moment, a flood of memories overcoming her. Peter glanced back at her as she sighed, and they continued on. Just before he opened the door she laid her hand on his arm, stopping him.

"Do you realize the last time I was here I was carried off by pirates and I thought you were going to die? I actually thought I would never see you again." She looked off into the deep emerald of the forest around them.

Peter looked down at her hand, still resting on his arm. He laid one callused palm over her soft, white skin, covering her completely. At his touch Wendy shook out of her reverie and looked up into the green depths of his eyes. He was frightened by the deep sadness the pools of sapphire held.

"Wendy…" he whispered, leaning toward her, wanting to make the sadness go away, but not quite knowing what he was doing.

"Peter!" a boy's voice exclaimed from behind them.

The pair whirled around to face four rather dirty little boys. The oldest two couldn't be any older than 10, and the youngest looked to be only 5.

"Oh!" Wendy exclaimed. She looked from Peter back to the boys. "Lost Boys?" She asked tentatively.

Peter stepped over to stand with his boys and smiled, "Yes. Boys, meet your new mother."

The older two looked at her a bit suspiciously, the youngest stepped back behind Peter.

Peter looked at them after a few minutes of silence. "Well? Where are your manners? Introduce yourselves."

The first, the obvious leader, stepped forward. "Slice."

The second, taking his cue from the first, took off his hat with a, "Dice."

The third hesitated for a few seconds, then shyly said, "Gouge."

They all looked to the youngest who merely looked back at them.

Peter smiled slightly and picked him up to sit on his shoulders. "This is Sam."

"Sam? With all the dangerous, scary names he's called Sam?Dice shook his head, "His name's Samurai but we call him Sam."

Wendy looked at Peter who shrugged. "Slice knew the word, he says it's a warrior."

"He's right."

Peter stepped towards her. "And how would you know?"

"I suppose I just know more than you do."

"Impossible." He smiled the smile he kept only for her.

"Very possible." She smiled back, and he couldn't take his eyes off her hidden kiss.

Slice cleared his throat, shaking Peter out of his moment. Dice held open the door, and Wendy took a second first step into Peter's home.


	3. Best Days

As they stepped into the tree house Peter picked Sam up from his shoulders and placed him on the floor, where Sam proceeded to give Wendy one frightened look then run off to some other part of the room.

Peter stood at her elbow as she took in the room again. Hammocks where the boys slept, the wooden table where the dishes sat, Pan's alcove hidden by a sheet, the fireplace with its perpetual fire burning. Taking one look at her face, Peter clapped his hands with a hearty, "Alright boys!" The four lads tumbled across the room to stand before the older boy. "Slice, I'll need your help. You three," he motioned to Dice, Gouge, and Sam, "stay here and help Mother."

As he and Slice made to leave, Wendy turned, "Where are you going?"

He paused, one hand on the edge of the door, "I have something I need to take care of."

"But…""I'll be back." He took a step back inside the hideout. "Don't worry about it." He quickly kissed her and then disappeared out the door into the forest.

Wendy stood for a few minutes with a hand on her mouth, just staring at the door in front of her. Finally, Dice tugged on her hand, "Mother?"She looked down at the boy, "Yes?""What do you want us to do?"

"Well," she looked down at the three dirty faces before her. "I assume we should probably clean this place up."

As their faces fell, she crouched down before them, "If we do it quickly, it won't seem like such a chore."

They still looked highly skeptical.

Wendy was sitting next to the fire mending a seemingly endless pile of clothing when a rather dirty Peter and Slice came back through the door. As she looked up at him, he couldn't help but feel like she really was the mother, waiting for him to get home.

Without a word he tossed his head toward the door. She silently got up and followed him, wanting to ask a million questions, but not wanting to break the silence.

A short ways through the trees and they came upon a meadow in the middle of which stood Wendy's house. She remembered it being smaller and told him as much.

Peter merely chuckled and held the door open. "Slice and I made a few adjustments."

She walked into the flower-covered building, and felt like she was 13 again. Peter shut the door behind him, "It still has a door knocker, and a chimney, and windows."

She turned back to him, "Why?"Peter walked over to one of the windows, and Wendy could swear she saw him blush, "You can't live in the tree house with me and the boys."

"You mean to keep me then?"

"Always."

She leaned against the wall, head down. Peter came up behind her, laying a hand on her shoulder. She pulled away, turning farther to the wall. His hand hovered where her shoulder had been. "Wendy?" She sighed in reply. He took a step closer, his hand falling back to his side. "Wendy Moira Angela Darling."

"I was supposed to become Wendy Moira Angela Darling Fitzsimmon exactly a week from tonight. Mrs. Richard Fitzsimmon. He is a lawyer, his father is a banker. It was a life in the highest society. Which now, will not happen."

"Why not?"

"Because of the scandal of my disappearance. Everyone'll think I've run away with a lover, or something else that is equally not accepted in good society. Oh, what Richard will think!" She covered her face. "And mother, and father, and the boys, and Aunt Millicent!"

"Then I'll just have to take you home and you can explain."

"Peter, you'll just be a man to them. To the boys, to my parents, you aren't Peter Pan. They don't remember you. Oh, I'm disgraced."

Peter took her by the shoulders, turning her towards him. Gently he removed her hands from over her face. Her eyes bored into his, the blue sinking into the green. He slowly ran a finger down the side of her face. His lips covered hers in the most intimate kiss she had ever been given.

When he pulled away, he watched a tear come from below thick eyelashes. As it coursed down her cheek, his lips found the moisture, and then found her lips again. Finally, he pulled away again, but this time he rested his forehead to hers, just breathing.

Her hand came up and ran down his arm until she reached his hand. His fingers threaded through hers.

He kissed her again, but this time she pulled away. Without a word, she rubbed at a dirty spot on his cheek, as he smiled. Ever so gently he pulled her over to the bed, and in a flurry of kisses and laughter, they fell onto the soft mattress.

They lay together under the blanket, Peter tracing patterns on her bare back. Earlier he had let her hair down, pin by pin, until it all cascaded in one shining sheet. He had marveled at how long it was, halfway to her knees. He had stood still for a moment, only in his breeches, just touching the wavy locks, until Wendy laughed and kissed him again.

Now Wendy was laying against his bare chest, hardly believing that she was actually in Neverland, with Peter.

"Wendy?" He whispered.

"Yes?"

"I want you to stay here with me."

"I know.""Will you?"

She sat so silently that Peter had to check if she was still awake.

"Well?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Oh."

Peter ran a hand through her hair.

"Do you remember that night we danced with the fairies?"

"Yes."

"You made me cry."

"You made me angry."

"Have you changed at all?"

"You mean, am I no longer offended by love?"

"Yes."

He sighed, and stared off into the dark room for a few minutes. "You're here, aren't you?"

"That didn't answer my question."

"The very sound of the word no longer offends me."

She chuckled. "How do you remember so much about the last time I was here?"

"I've had 5 years to think about it."

"But…"

"Trust me Wendy, you've been on my mind the entire time." With that he pulled her in for another long kiss, and talking was forgotten.

When Wendy woke there was sunlight streaming through the windows, but she was alone in her bed, with only a note beside her.

_Wendy-_ it read, _Went to check on the boys. Come in__ for__ breakfast. –P_

As she walked through the sunlit forest she remembered all the things that had happened to her over the past few years. The ecstasy every night when Peter would come for a story. How heartbroken she had been when he no longer came. The bewilderment when the boys no longer remembered their free-spirited hero as anything more than a story. How happy she had been to meet Richard. The tears she had cried the night he asked her to marry him. She loved Richard, but she loved Peter more, and now she was torn between her two lives.

When she finally stepped in the tree house, she smiled at the sight. Slice and Dice were wrestling over something on the floor. Gouge was carving at the table. Peter was cooking and Sam was sitting beside him, just happy to be near the older boy. Peter looked over and smiled at her as she came in. Gouge immediately came running over to show her the bird he was working on. He had obviously come to like her just overnight. Slice and Dice were still wary of her, and it took Sam a long time to like anyone.

She sat next to Gouge at the table and talked quietly with the boy until Peter finished the porridge.

When they were done eating Peter sat back in his chair and looked around at the group. "Does anybody know what today is?"

Slice grinned, "Indians!"

"Exactly!"

"Excuse me?"

Five faces turned toward her.

"What do you mean, Indians."Dice crossed his arms, "Today we go to kidnap Princess Tiger Lily."

"Why?"

"Because they kidnapped Gouge last week. It's our turn."

Bewildered she turned to Peter.

"It doesn't mean anything Wendy. They kidnap Gouge and let him go, we kidnap Tiger Lily and let her go, they come back and kidnap Slice and we organize a rescue party, we kidnap Run-Fast and they come rescue him. It's just a game. No one ever gets hurt." He shrugged. "It's something to do. But today, you boys will have to go without me. I need to show Mother around the island again."

The boys tumbled out of their seat and out the door before he had barely finished speaking.


End file.
